论“和”为儒学之精义

On “Harmony” As the Prime of Confucianism

在儒家学说中,“和”同时兼具方法论和价值取向的意义。从方法论的意义上来看,儒家试图通过和平、调和的方式,最终达致一种和谐,而这种和谐又恰恰是儒家全部理论的终极追求。之所以强调“和”为儒学之精义,还在于儒家在严格意义上,进行了“和”、“同”之辨,从而也使儒家之“和”范畴至今仍具有强大的生命力。

In Confucian doctrine, the term “harmony” is, at the same time, of methodological and value-orientated significance. Methodologically speaking, Confucianism seeks for a final harmony by means of peace and reconciliation, and, further, this type of harmony is the very ultimate pursuit of the Confucian doctrine as a whole. The reason why “harmony” is the prime of Confucianism lies in the fact that the Confucian scholars have made a distinction between “harmony” and “sameness”(tong) from their narrowest senses, so that the term “harmony” is of vital force up to date.